Press
What lies ahead for the US economy? Brexit offers clues
04 April 2025
The Wall Street Journal
“If your company decides to build a T-shirt factory in Mississippi, and then tariffs go back down, then your factory makes no economic sense,” says John Springford, an associate with the Centre for European Reform think-tank.
How would Ice Man counter Trump’s Maverick-onomics?
04 April 2025
EurActiv
The dollar is likely facing a “moron premium” from investors worried about Washington’s obvious economic illiteracy, according to Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform.“Confidence is a feeble, vulnerable commodity: the US is squandering it by the boatload,” Tordoir said, adding that even if Trump’s tariff order is eventually reversed, “some of the moron risk premium will linger in the markets”.
Europe is preparing for possible war with Russia, without the US
04 April 2025
ABC News
Luigi Scazzieri, assistant director at the Centre for European Reform, said the EU had been neglecting the equipment, stockpiles and readiness efforts needed for high-intensity conflict. "It proved more convenient to rely on the US," he wrote in an EU defence brief.
Keir Starmer seeks a Brexit reset but can he sneak it past Farage?
04 April 2025
The Times
Nothing in Labour’s veterinary agreement should get in the way, in theory, of the limited economic deal the business secretary is ready to sign with the US (though it would probably preclude a full trade deal down the line, Charles Grant, director of the centre for European Reform, tells me.)
Donald Trump baffles economists with tariff formula
03 April 2025
Financial Times
The result of the tariffs, added John Springford, trade economist at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, would not be to eliminate trade deficits but to inflict pain on both poorer countries and US consumers.
20 Prozent auf EU-Produkte: Trump startet den Handelskrieg
03 April 2025
Table Briefings
„Herr Trump sorgt zweifellos für die dramatischste Eskalation des Protektionismus seit der Großen Depression“, sagte Sander Tordoir Table Briefings. ...Ein Großteil des chinesischen Handelsüberschusses mit den USA wirdsomit auf andere Märkte umgeleitet werden. „Das wird noch mehr Druck auf europäische Produzenten ausüben, die ohnehin schon unter chinesischem Dumping leiden“, sagte Tordoir.
What's behind Russia's biggest conscription drive in years?
03 April 2025
The Week
It certainly highlights that Putin is probably not expecting to sign up to – or abide by – a ceasefire in Ukraine any time soon said Ian Bond, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform. Even if a long-term ceasefire is eventually agreed, Putin would be unlikely to stop there. "We can see what the Russian economy is being retooled to do," says Bond. "And it ain't peace."
EU's restrictive Schengen visa policies undermine relations with Africa, research warns
03 April 2025
Schengen News
New research from the independent think-tank, Centre for European Reform (CER), has warned that the EU’s visa regime is discriminatory against Africa, undermining the bloc’s reputation.According to the CER, while the EU leaders emphasise the importance of strong EU-Africa connections, the current visa policies suggest otherwise, Schengen.
Wat heeft Trump nu precies beslist, en wie wordt er het hardst getroffen?
03 April 2025
De Standaard
Volgens Sander Tordoir van de CER (Centre for European Reform) zijn er voldoende redenen om te geloven dat Europa evenwel minder hard geraakt zal worden dan de VS. Handelspartners als de EU, China en Japan hebben nog voldoende mogelijkheden om hun export te diversifiëren en nieuwe handelspartners te zoeken.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: The future of EU-India relations
02 April 2025
Anunita Chandrasekar, Tara Varma and Amaia Sánchez-Cacicedo consider the trajectory of EU-India relations.
Starmer offers big US tech firms tax cuts in return for lower Trump tariffs
02 April 2025
The Guardian
John Springford, of the Centre for European Reform, said: “At a minimum, Trump’s trade wars make it even more likely that further spending cuts or tax rises are coming in the autumn budget – we just don’t know how much at this stage.”
You need us: the British strategy for pivoting towards Europe
01 April 2025
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Luigi Scazzieri, the assistant director of the Centre for European Reform, describes it as ‘shallow’, with very limited co-operation on capability development. “The rules for third country involvement in PESCO [Permanent Structured Co-operation), the European Defence Fund and EDIRPA [procurement] are very complex. While in principle, third countries and third country entities are allowed to participate, in practice the EU’s rules limit their involvement.”
What price will the UK pay for a trade deal with Donald Trump?
01 April 2025
Financial Times
Aslak Berg, trade policy expert at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said the list of US trade grievances set out by the Trump administration was so extensive — covering not just tariffs but taxes including VAT and online and environmental regulations — that they could never be satisfied. “The US demands on regulation and taxation amount to regulatory subordination,” he said. “That’s not the kind of demand you’d make if you were looking to make a deal — it’s what you’d propose if you’re looking for an excuse to impose tariffs.”
How Trump is forcing Europe to get real on steel
31 March 2025
Politico
Putting a historic industry at the center of policymaking while under pressure from an erratic US President Donald Trump, an expansionist Russian President Vladimir Putin and an ambitious Chinese President Xi Jinping, makes sense coming from Brussels, according to Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform.“I’d consider the EUCO a success, all things considered,” he said. “And the leaders are simply working well together at the moment. But there’s a lot still to be done.”
Niet allemaal slecht
31 March 2025
Financieel Dagblad
Het Centre for European Reform ziet tien gevolgen van de verkiezing van Donald Trump. Drie daarvan zijn zowaar positief.
Who is running Britain’s economy – Rachel Reeves or Donald Trump?
30 March 2025
The Observer
John Springford, associate fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said the economic dangers cannot be overestimated. “If Trump imposes a 25% tariff on cars and car parts on the UK, it will reduce exports to the US – but only £7bn of exports would be affected, out of total exports of £800bn. The far bigger costs would arise from an escalating global trade war, even if the UK does not retaliate.
Wcale nie Trump. Głównym przeciwnikiem gospodarczym UE są Chiny
28 March 2025
Oko Press
„Chiny są egzystencjalnym zagrożeniem dla europejskiej branży motoryzacyjnej” – mówi nam holenderski ekonomista Sander Tordoir.
‘Disastrous’: Trump’s car tariffs slammed by EU governments and industry groups
27 March 2025
EurActiv
Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, said that the most likely outcome is a “mix” of car price increases in the US and a reduction in EU car manufacturers’ profit margins.He also said that the fact that German manufacturers have plants in the US offers them potential “workarounds” to “dampen the blow” of the tariffs.“They can subtract some of the cars they export from their American plants to the rest of the world,” Tordoir said.
Experts: What do Trump’s tariffs mean for global climate action?
27 March 2025
Carbon Brief
The Trump administration is walking back on US climate commitments, both domestically by threatening to cut back Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) support for clean-tech industries and internationally, [by] withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.
Trump's Black Sea truce plan is a 'gift to Russia' that risks undermining sanctions, analysts warn
26 March 2025
NBC News
“It is essential that Europeans don’t fall for this US/Russian stitch-up, which will strengthen Russia, weaken Ukraine, and undermine the security of the rest of Europe,” wrote Ian Bond, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank.